Intus Healthcare Set To Launch Ovarian Cancer Device OvPlex In UK

Intus Healthcare, the UK distribution partner of HealthLinx, is targeting a large share of the potential 750,000 annual ovarian cancer diagnostic tests undertaken in the UK with the launch of OvPlex on 25 February, 2010.

Intus Healthcare has reached an exclusive distribution agreement with HealthLinx in February 2009 for the distribution of OvPlex in the UK and Republic of Ireland (ROI) with an option to enter other EU countries.

Reportedly, in July 2009 the company had obtained European Certification for OvPlex paving the way to market and sell the product within the European community.

Nick Gatsios, managing director of HealthLinx, said: “This will be the first large scale roll out of OvPlex and HealthLinx will receive a royalty of approximately $70 per test subject to exchange rates. We expect that marketing OvPlex on such a large scale will be the catalyst that will see HealthLinx target other countries and launch what we feel is a superior diagnostic for ovarian cancer to any other product available.

“In line with our annual report we have opened discussions in Korea, China, other European countries and we have been approached by some Central South American countries. These present strong commercial opportunities.”

Martin Heller, managing director of Intus Healthcare, said: “Intus is thrilled to be the first to offer this substantially better test for the diagnosis of ovarian cancer to women in the UK and ROI. Ovarian cancer is notoriously difficult to diagnose and we expect the OvPlex test will save many women’s lives. We are confident the uptake of the OvPlex diagnostic will be rapid and widespread throughout the UK.”

Dr Fergus Macpherson, national head of pathology at Spire Healthcare, said: “Our network of hospitals and healthcare facilities will make OvPlex immediately available across England, Scotland and Wales. Early detection of ovarian cancer is essential to boosting survival rates. OvPlex is a superior ovarian cancer test to anything in the market that we know of and we strongly encourage symptomatic women to use it.”